Teen Pleads Guilty In Arsons Case

JAMES CITY — One of two teens charged over the summer in a series of gang-related arsons pleaded guilty Friday in Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court to one count of maliciously setting fire to woods and one count of throwing missiles at occupied vehicles.

As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors dropped one additional count of each charge against 18-year-old James Parrott.

Parrott and a 17-year-old were arrested June 11 after officers with the James City County Fire Marshals Office responded to a brush fire at the Raintree Villas subdivision and observed the two walking along the railroad tracks near the woods.

As the officers watched, the teens began throwing rocks and railroad ties at passing cars on Richmond Road, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Cathy Black said in court Friday.

After a short foot chase, they were both arrested and charged with throwing missiles at occupied vehicles.

After further investigation, fire marshals also charged them with maliciously setting fire to woods in connection with five separate brush fires set at the subdivision during May and June.

On Friday, Black said that the motive for setting the fires was apparently to sustain a rivalry between local gangs the Duce Klan Gangstas and the Raintree Boys. She said the 17-year-old told investigators that he "wanted to start a gang war between DKG and Raintree."

Parrott's attorney, J. Stephen Roberts, requested a mental evaluation be done on his client before sentencing because of concerns about Parrott's mental state. He said the evaluation would not look at the issue of sanity and would not affect the guilty plea.

That report is due to the court Dec. 17, and Parrott is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 4.